1. Field of the Invention
One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to filtering, and more particularly, to a splat filtering method, medium, and system improving the quality of a rendered image.
2. Description of the Related Art
When rendering an image, such as a two-dimensional (2D) image, from pixel information from differing points of view, pixel maps are often used. Here, such pixel maps can include color and/or transparency information for each pixel, as well as depth information. This information could be generated from an initial view point(s). When attempting to render an image, e.g., from a point model made up of a combination of points and having a three-dimensional (3D) shape, from another point of view, even if in a same line of view, a point-based rendering algorithm may be used to generate planar splats such as a square or a circle for each of the points on which the point model is projected. These splats can be representative of a pixel as viewed from a different point of view, e.g., a splat can represent how a pixel could be viewed from a different point of view, perhaps in a warped shape. For example, as a pixel point of view moves far to the left, right, above, and/or below a pixel point, the representative splat would become more warped in an oblong or elliptical shape differently from the pixel points original shape, taking into consideration the original pixel map information for the pixel point.
As another example, according to the above point-based rendering algorithm, the points on which the point model is projected may be arranged closer to a point of view, and planar splats such as a circle are generated according to the arrangement of the points, thereby causing two planar splats to overlap. In this case, a scaling effect occurs so that planar splats look like scales, which deteriorates the appearance of the rendered point model. The larger the planar splats are, the worse the scaling effect becomes.
Conversely, if planar splats become small enough to be frosty, an aliasing phenomenon occurs so that a boundary between planar splats becomes smoothed, which also deteriorates the appearance of the rendered point model. The smaller the planar splats are, the worse the aliasing phenomenon becomes.
Consequently, when a point-based rendering algorithm is used to render the point model, the inventors have found a desire for a way of improving the image quality of the rendered point model in order to prevent this scaling effect from worsening when splats become larger and the aliasing phenomenon from worsening when splats become smaller.